UNIT 2: REGIONS OF THE BRAIN AND BRAINSTEM
ALONZO GABUCAN, RSLP
MAIN TOPICS
INTRODUCTION OF THE BRAIN
DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE BRAIN
DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS OF THE BRAIN
INTRODUCTION OF THE BRAINSTEM
DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE BRAINSTEM
DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS OF THE BRAINSTEM
INTRODUCTION OF THE BRAIN
HOW DID WE GET HERE
NERVOUS SYSTEM
2 divisions
Central Nervous System
Peripheral Nervous System
QUICK REVIEW
TERMINOLOGIES
During the lecture or while you’re studying, you might
come across these terms:
telencephalon, diencephalon, mesencephalon,
metencephalon, and myelencephalon
These are the 5 divisions of the brain (derived from the 5
vesicles of development)
INTRODUCTION TO THE BRAIN
TELENCEPHALON
The Telencephalon is the largest portion of the brain
which consists of the cerebral cortex, the basal
ganglia, and some parts of the limbic system
CEREBRAL CORTEX
The largest portion of the telencephalon is the
cerebral cortex.
It is divided into bumps and grooves called gyri and
sulci (respectively)
CEREBRAL CORTEX DIVISIONS
There are five (5) major regions of the brain
FRONTAL REGION
2 parts ⟶ anterior frontal and posterior frontal
PARIETAL REGIONS We’ll be discussing the
OCCIPITAL REGIONS Brodmann Areas some
other time
TEMPORAL REGIONS
INSULAR CORTEX
Alonzo Gabucan
IMPORTANT LANDMARKS
LANDMARKS
Longitudinal fissure ⟶ Separates left and right hemispheres.
Central sulcus ⟶ Divides frontal lobe (motor) from parietal
lobe (sensory).
Lateral sulcus (Sylvian fissure) ⟶ Separates temporal lobe
from frontal and parietal lobes.
Parieto-occipital sulcus ⟶ Divides parietal from occipital
lobe (posteriorly).
HOMUNCULUS
GENERAL RULE OF THUMB
FRONT ⟶ BACK
COMPLEX PROCESS ⟶ SIMPLE SENSORY
HOW DOES THE BRAIN COMMUNICATE?
COMMUNICATION
Each regions of the brain communicates by the means of
interneurons that passes through WHITE MATTER tracts deep
inside the cortical layer
You talk in White
You process in Gray
IS THAT THE SAME FOR THE SPINE?
NO
COMMUNICATION
There are 3 types of white matter tracts in the brain:
1. Association fibers (connect regions within the same
hemisphere)
2. Commissural fibers (connect the two hemispheres)
3. Projection fibers (connect the cortex with subcortical
structures, brainstem, or spinal cord)
CORPUS CALLOSUM
CORPUS CALLOSUM
The structure is where major means of communication
between the two (2) hemispheres of the brain.
When it is bisected or lesioned, the right half of the brain is
unaware of what the left half of the brain is processing.
Patients with this disorder are referred to as split-brain
patients and present with unique symptoms.
BASAL GANGLIA
BASAL GANGLIA
Beneath the layers of the frontal and parietal cortex, and
lateral to the thalamus, are referred as the basal ganglia
are motor relay nuclei are responsible for producing smooth
and precise motor activity.
Worked in conjunction with the cerebellum to regulate
complex motor output
BASAL GANGLIA
The basal ganglia are made of three (3) distinct nuclei:
Caudate
Putamen
Globus pallidus
BASAL GANGLIA
BASAL GANGLIA
BASAL GANGLIA
Note: The caudate and the putamen together are referred as
“striatum’ while the putamen and globus pallidus are referred
as the lenticular nuclei
putamen + caudate nucleus = Striatum
Globus pallidus + putamen = Lenticular nuclei/ lentiform nucleus
DIENCEPHALON
THALAMUS
THALAMUS
The thalamus is a large, egg-shaped mass of gray matter
that forms the major of the diencephalon
Key takeaway is that the thalamus is a relay center of:
Limbic information
Sensory information
Motor information
THALAMUS
IMPORTANT NOTE
The diancephalon has 6 other structures
Thalamus Metathalamus
Epithalamus Pituitary gland
Hypothalamus
Subthalamus
QUICK GUIDE
QUICK GUIDE
Thalamus ⟶ relay center
Epithalamus (pineal gland) ⟶ regulates the sleep-wake cycle (circadian
rhythm)
Hypothalamus ⟶ hunger, thirst, temperature, sleep, hormones
Subthalamus ⟶ helps with movement in coords. with the basal ganglia
Metathalamus ⟶ relay center for hearing and vision
Pituitary gland ⟶ Master hormone gland, controls growth, metabolism,
and reproduction via hormones
INTRODUCTION OF THE BRAINSTEM
VENTRAL VIEW DORSAL VIEW
LATERAL VIEW
LATERAL VIEW
BRAINSTEM
The brainstem has three (3) different parts
Midbrain
Pons
Medulla oblangata
BRAINSTEM FUNCTION
Three (3) broad functions
Serves as a conduit for the ascending and
descending tracts
Contains important reflex centers associated with
respiration, cardiovascular system, and
consciousness
Contains important nucleis of CN III - XII
PEDUNCLES
PEDUNCLES (“LITTLE FOOT”)
Is the connection from the brainstem to the cerebellum
Three (3) different types
Cerebral peduncles
located in the midbrain
Cerebellar peduncles
Connects cerebellum to brainstem
3 types (next slide)
Pontine peduncles
located to the pons
PEDUNCLES (“LITTLE FOOT”)
Superior peduncles ⟶ sends info from cerebellum to
cortex
Middle peduncles ⟶ brings motor plan to the cerebellum
Inferior peduncles ⟶ bring sensory info to the cerebellum
SIMPLIFIED OF WHAT THE BRAINSTEM IS
“HIGHWAY OF THE CNS”
MEDULLA OBLANGATA
MEDULLA OBLANGATA
The medulla oblongata connects the spinal cord
with the pons and is the site of the lower four cranial
nerves and their nuclei (cranial nerves IX–XII).
MEDULLA OBLANGATA
The medulla oblongata appears as the superior
dilated portion of the spinal cord.
The inferior border is the foramen magnum
MEDULLA OBLANGATA
It also connects to the pons by the pontomedullary
junction
pons + medulla = pontomedullary
junction = point of meeting
MEDULLA OBLANGATA
From the anterior view, there are two (2) long parallel
ridges, called pyramids
These contain the axons of the corticospinal tracts
Lateral to these ridges are two (2) bulges referred to as
inferior olives
⟶ used for motor control and learning
PYRAMIDS
OLIVES
MEDULLA OBLANGATA
Additionally, most (~90%) of the decussation occurs
here
PONS
PONS
Important site for communication between the
medulla oblongata and the cerebrum.
Key function
Influences sleep
Manages pain signals
Connects to the cerebellum
MIDBRAIN
MIDBRAIN
The midbrain is a part of the central nervous system,
located below the cerebral cortex and at the topmost
part of the brainstem. This small but important
structure plays a crucial role in processing visual and
auditory signals.
OVERALL FUNCTION OF BRAINSTEM
THANK YOU
FOR COMING
